Compressor



Oct. 14, 1969 P. J. LINNERT COMPRESSOR Filed April 29, 1968 FIG.

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ATTO RNEY United States Patent Office 3,472,446 Patented Oct. 14, 19693,472,446 COMPRESSOR Peter J. Linnert, Onalaska, Wis., assignor to TheTrane Company, La Crosse, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Apr.29, 1968, Ser. No. 724,750 Int. Cl. F04b 27/ 00, 39/10 U.S. Cl. 230-18410 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A multicylinder refrigerationcompressor having in combination resilient annular suction valves andelongated reed discharge valves arranged to minimize the number of valveguiding members and to` permit the use of a head having a simplepartitioning arrangement defining the suction and discharge chamberstherein.

Resilient annular suction valves and elongated reed discharge valves perse have been in usel for many years. The present invention, however,employs these valves in a unique combination which permits the dual useof certain vlave guiding pins to maintain the relative location ofannular and reed valves of the same cylinder and of adjacent cylinders.This is accomplished by placing the guiding pins in a row coincident`with a plane containing the central axes of the compressor cylinders ofa cylinder bank. The elongated reed valves are oriented in an endto-endrelation whereby they may all be located in a single elongated dischargechamber of the compressor head which chamber extends over andcommunicates directly with each cylinder of the cylinder bank. Elongatedsuction chambers on each side of and extending parallel with thedischarge chamber may also communicate with all the cylinders of thebank. This arrangement materially simplifies the head structure for acompressor using resilient annular suction valves in combination withelongated reed valves.

Specifically this invention involves a compressor comprising: acompressor body; an elongated crankshaft mounted for rotation about anaxis of rotation; said compressor body defining first and secondcylinders having respectively first and second central axes; said firstand second central axes being substantially parallel, spaced one fromthe other, and contained in a plane which is substantially parallel tosaid axis of rotation; piston means drivingly connected to saidcrankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; a valve plateoverlying one end of said cylinders; said valve plate defining first andsecond discharge valve ports adjacent said plane coextensiverespectively with said rst and second cylinders for communicating saidfirst and second cylinders with the discharge side of said compressor;first and second elongated reed discharge valves overlying said firstand second discharge valve ports respectively on the side of said valveplate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; the longitudinal axes ofsaid elongated reed discharge valves being generally parallel to saidplane; said valve plate defining therein first and second suction valveports coextensixe with said first cylinder and located on opposite sidesof said plane for communictaing said first cylinder with the suctionside of said compressor; said valve plate defining therein third andfourth suction valve ports coextensive with said second cylinder andlocated on opposite sides of said plane for communicating said secondcylinder with the suction side of said compressor; a first resilientannular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plateoverlying said first and second suction valve ports; a second resilientannular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of said valve plateoverlying said third and fourth suction valve ports; a head overlyingsaid valve plate and having partitions therein separating said suctionvalve ports from said discharge valve ports.

Other objects and advantages may become apparent as this specificationdescribes the invention in detail with reference to the drawings whereinsimilar numerals have been used to describe like elements and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a central vertical section of a compressor incorporating myinvention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken at line 2-2 ofFIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken at line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section taken at line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 1 shows a reciprocal piston compressor unit 10 particularlyuseful for compressing refrigeration gases. Compressor 10 has a mainbody or housing 12. An internal wall 14 substantially separates thehousing 12 into a compressor portion 16 and a motor portion 18. Acrankshaft 20 within compressor portion 16 has an extended shaftdrivingly connected to a rotor 22 of motor 24 within motor portion 18.Crankshaft 20 is mounted in suitable bearings 26 for rotation about anaxis concentric with said bearings.

The upper portion of the compressor portion has two parallel circularcylinders 28 and 30 for receiving pistons 32 and 34 respectively.Pistons 32 and 34 are connected via connecting rods 36 to separatethrows of crankshaft 20 so that pistons 32 and 34 may be reciprocallydriven by motor rotor 22 of motor 24. During operation refrigerant gasenters the suction side of the compressor body at 38 via compressorinlet 39 and leaves the discharge side of the compressor body 40 viacompressor outlet 41. The cavities 42 in compressor body 12 extendingabout cylinders 28 and 30 are part of and in fluid communication withthe suction side of the compressor body.

Now with reference to FIGURES 2,-4, a flat rectangular valve plate 44overlies the upper ends of cylinders 28 and 30, and a compartmental head46 overlies valve plate 44. Head 46 is provided with partitions 48 andS0 which divide head 46 into an elongated central discharge gas charnber52 and a pair of elongated suction gas chambers 54 and 56, each of whichhas a vertical cross section along its minor axis in the form of aninverted U.. Chambers 52, 54 and 56 have their major axes in a directionparallel to the crankshaft axis of rotation and are all closed on theupper side thereof by the top wall 57 of head 46. The bottom sides ofchambers 52, 54 and 56 of head 46 are closed by valve plate 44. A gasket59 between valve plate 44 and head 46 underlying the vertical side wallsand partitions Valve plate 44 further has first and second arcuatethrough going suction ports 60 and 62 coextensive with the end ofcylinder 28 and which respectively communicate suction chambers 54 and56 with the interior of cylinder 28 and third and fourth arcuate throughgoing suction ports 64 and 66 coextensive with the end of cylinder 30and which respectively communicate suc'tion chamber 54 and 56 with theinterior of cylinder 30.

Adjacent the central axis of each of cylinders 28 and 30, valve plate 44has a pair of arcuate through going discharge ports 68 and 70coextensive with the end of cylinders 28 and 30 respectively andcommunicating the interiors thereof with discharge chamber 52. Adjiacentone end of plate 44 is a through going aperture 72 which communicatesdischarge chamber 52 with the discharge side of the compressor. A fiatgasket 74 is interposed between valve plate 44 and compressor body 12.Gasket 74 has apertures therethrough which are coextensive with theapertures of valve plate 44 and compressor body 12 which are inface-to-face relation therewith. A plurality of head bolts 76 extendthrough head 46 and valve plate 44 into compressor body 12 to sealinglysecure the head and valve plate to the compressor body.

The flow of gas through suction ports 60` and 62 to cylinder 28 andthrough suction ports 64 and 66 to cylinder 30 is controlled byresilient annular suction valves 78 and 80 respectively. These suctionvalves are positioned on the cylinder side of valve plate 44 as shown inFIG- URES 3 and 4. Each annular valve has an outer diameter slightlysmaller than the dia-meter of its respective cylinder so as to permitthe valve to bend from a flat closed position as shown by valve 80 to acylindrical open position as shown by valve 78. Each annular suctionvalve has a pair of diametrically opposed tabs 82 extending radiallyoutwardly therefrom supported by and between the cornpressor housing andvalve plate and guided by guide pins 84 extending through a slo't ineach tab. The slot and pin connection permits rocking or pivoting of thetab relative to the compressor housing while preventing the suctionValve from rotating about the cylinder axis thereby maintaining the areaof maximum valve deiiection adjacent the suction ports. A small inclinedhorizontal slot 86 (FIG. 3) is provided on the rim of each cylinderadjacent each of tabs 82 to provide adequate relief for the movement oftabs 82 accompanying movement of the suction valve to the open position.Each suction valve also has a secondary set of smaller tabs 88 each ofwhich extends into a vertical slot 90 in the cylinder side walls. Tabs88 function to limit the maximum bending movement of the suction valveat the fully open position by bottoming at the lower end of slots 90'.

The flow of gas through discharge ports 68 and 70 is controlledrespectively by fiat elongated resilient reed discharge valves 92 and 94of substantially identical configuration. Valves 92 and 94 are disposedin end-to-end relation with their longitudinal axes extending inparallel relation to the axis of rotation of crankshaft 20` in the planecontaining the central axes of cylinder 28 and 30. A discharge valvestop 96 overlying each of valves 92 and 94 limits opening movement ofeach valve in a direction from the closed position as shown by valve 92toward an open position as shown by valve 94. Valve stops 96 arefastened to valve plate 44 by suitable screws 95 as shown. It should benoted that the valve stop 96 associated with valve 92 in FIGURE 2 hasbeen removed so the configuration of valve 92 may be observed.

The relative locations of valve stops 96, discharge valves 92 and 94,valve plate 44, suction valves 78 and 80, and the compressor body aremaintained by aforementioned pins 84 which extend through these variouselements into the compressor body 12 as shown clearly in FIGURE 3.

It is particularly noteworthy that certain of these pins, i.e., the pinsadditionally designated by the numeral 98 serve the dual purpose oflocating or guiding both the annular suction valve and the dischargereed valve of the same cylinder. It should also be noted that the pindesignated by numeral 99 serves the dual purpose of locating or guidingthe discharge valve 92 of cylinder 28 and the suction valve 80 ofcylinder 30. It should be appreciated thatthe apertures for pins 84 inthe valve stops, discharge and suction valves, valve plate andcompressor body are of a diameter very close to that of pins 84 wherebythe pins serve to substantially fix the relative location of theseelements. An interference fit is used between pins 84 and valve plate 44While a slight clearance is used between pins 84 and the other elements.

It should also be noted that by the unique relative positioning ofresilient annular suction valves and elongated reed discharge valves fora bank of cylinders, a simple compressor head can be used requiring onlyone discharge and two suction chambers therein for all the cylinderswithin the bank.

Having now described the preferred embodiment of my invention, Icontemplate that many changes may be made without departing from thescope or spirit of my invention and I accordingly desire to be limitedonly by the claims.

I claim:

1. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaftdisposed for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor bodydefining first and second cylinders having respectively first and secondcentral axes; said first and second central axes beingsubstantiallyparallel, spaced one from the other, and contained in a plane which issubstantially parallel to said axis of rotation; piston means drivinglyconnected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; anelongated valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; an elongatedconcave compressor head overlying said valve plate disposed with theconcave side thereof toward said valve plate; said head having pluralpartitions on opposite sides of said plane extending generallylongitudinally of said elongated crankshaft thereby dividing the spacewithin the concave side of said head into an elongated central dis;charge gas chamber interposed between a pair of suction gas chambers;said elongated discharge gas chamber overlying said first and secondcylinders; said valve plate deliri'- ing first and second dischargevalve ports adjacent said.

plane coextensive respectively with said first and second cylinders forcommunicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side ofsaid compressor; first and second elongated discharge valves disposed inend-to-end relationship within said compressor head and overlying saidfirst and second discharge valve ports respectively on the side of saidvalve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; the longitudinalaxes of said elongated discharge valves being generally parallel to saidelongated crankshaft; said valve plate defining therein first and secondsuction valve ports coextensive with said first cylinder and located onopposite sides of said -plane for communicating said first cylinder withthe suction side of said compressor; said valve plate defining thereinthird and fourth suction valve ports coextensive with said secondcylinder and located on oppostie sides of said plane for communicatingsaid second cylinder with the suction side of said compressor; a firstresilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side of saidvalve plate overlying said first and second suction valve ports; and asecond resilient annular suction valve disposed on the cylinder side ofsaid valve plate overlying said third and fourth suction valve ports.

2. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein one of said suction gaschambers within said head communicates with and overlies said first andthird suction valve ports associated with said first and secondcylinders and the other of said suction gas chambers within said headcommunicates with and overlies said second and fourth suction valveports associated with said first and second cylinders.

3. The apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said first and seconddischarge ports are disposed on one side of said plane; said valve platefurther defining third and fourth discharge valve ports disposed on theside of said plane opposite from said first and second discharge valveports and being coextensive respectively with said first and secondcylinders for communicating said first and second cylinders with thedischarge side of said compressor; said first and second dischargevalves overlying said third and fourth discharge valve portsrespectively.

4. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaftmounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor bodydefining first and second cylinders having respectively first and secondcentral axes; said first and second central axes being spaced insubstantially parallel relation to each other and contained in a planewhich is substantially parallel to` said axis of rotation; piston means`drivingly connected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in saidcylinders; a valve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; said valveplate defining a first discharge valve -port adjacent said planecoextensive with said first cylinder communicating said first cylinderwith the discharge side of said compressor; said valve plate defining asecond discharge valve port communicating said second cylinder with thedischarge side of said compressor; a first elongated reed dischargevalve overlying said first discharge valve port on the side of saidvalve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof; means forcontrolling the flow of gas through said second discharge valve port;said valve yplate defining first and second suction valve portscommunicating said first and second cylinders respectively with thesuction side of the compressor; first and second suction valves disposedto control the flow of gas through said first and second suction valveports respectively; the longitudinally axis of said rst elongated reeddischarge valve being generally parallel to said plane; and a pin eX-tending through said elongated reed discharge valve of said firstcylinder and through said second suction valve of said second cylinderwhereby said pin locates the discharge valve of one cylinder and thesuction valve of an adjacent cylinder.

5. A compressor comprising: a compressor body; an elongated crankshaftmounted for rotation about an axis of rotation; said compressor bodydefining first and second cylinders having respectively first and secondcentral axes; said first and second central axes beingsubstantiallyparallel, spaced one from the other, and contained in a plane which issubstantially parallel to said axis of rotation; piston means drivinglyconnected to said crankshaft for compressing gas in said cylinders; avalve plate overlying one end of said cylinders; said valve platedefining first and second discharge valve ports adjacent said planecoextensive respectively with said first and second cylinders forcommunicating said first and second cylinders with the discharge side ofsaid compressor; rst and second elongated reed discharge valvesoverlying said first and second discharge valve ports respectively onthe side of said valve plate opposite from the cylinder side thereof;the longitudinal axes of said elongated reed discharge valves beinggenerally parallel to said plane; said valve plate defining thereinfirst and second suction valve ports coextensive with said firstcylinder and located on opposite sides of said plane for communicatingsaid first cylinder With the suction side of said compressor; said valveplate defining therein third and fourth suction valve ports coextensivewith said second cylinder and located ou opposite sides of said planefor communicating said second cylinder with the suction side of saidcompressor; a first resilient annular suction valve disposed on thecylinder side of said valve plate overlying said first and secondsuction valve ports; a second resilient annular suction valve disposedon the cylinder side of said valve plate overlying said third and fourthsuction valve ports; a head overlying said valve plate and havingpartitions therein separating said suction valve ports from saiddischarge valve ports.

6. The apparatus as defined by claim 5` including a tab at opposite endsof each annular suction valve; a tab guide for each of said tabs; saidtabs and said tab guides being aligned along said plane.

7. The apparatus as defined by claim 6 wherein at least one of said tabguides is a pin disposed in guiding engagement with one of said reeddischarge valves.

8. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said pin guides a tab ofa suction valve and a reed discharge valve operatively associated withthe same cylinder.

9. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein said pin guides a tab ofa suction valve and a reed discharge valve operatively associated withdifferent cylinders.

10. The apparatus as defined by claim 5 wherein said partitions definean inverted U-shaped channel extending from said first discharge valveport to said second discharge valve port; the open bottom portion ofsaid channel receiving both of said first and second elongated reeddischarge valves .disposed in end-to-end relation.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,476,794 12/ 1923 Berry 230-2312,628,765 2/ 1953 Anderson 230-58 2,846,140 8/ 1958 Kemper ZBO-184 XR3,120,338 2/ 1964 Rhodes 230-58 ROBERT M. WALKER, -Primary Examiner U.S.Cl. X.R. 230-231

